[ Yes, Wrathion's made his point. A point no one asked him to make, a point that served absolutely no purpose but to satisfy his own vanity.
Completely on brand.
There's still a slight release of tension as he finally surrenders, and Anduin sighs before stepping closer. ]
Let me see. How bad is it?
[ The way he's been cradling it against his side says it's bad, but it's hard to tell under the loose clothing. One hand hovers just over where the fabric seems more taut, a thoughtful frown appearing on his face. ]
[But in how many places and how badly -- well, that is harder to tell from the surface alone. It takes effort, but he eventually manages to pull the bracelet off with a flinch as it jostles his arm.
He was hit with enough force to knock him into the wall, and so he would not be surprised if it was worse than it seemed on the surface. He is currently attempting to figure out how to get Anduin a better look at his upper arm without doing further damage.]
[ He reaches instinctively to try to mitigate the movement of his arm as much as possible, as the bracelet is jerked loose. A difficult prospect, indeed. ]
...we can try taking the shirt off, carefully. Or, if you're not terribly attached it it, we can try splitting the sleeve open.
[The idea of trying to pretzel his way out of his shirt is weirdly humiliating and he will have no part of it -- attachment to the shirt aside.
He could rip it pretty easily, with help. His teeth were sharp enough -- there was also his sword, in the corner of the room. Anduin was likely strong enough to do it himself. The material was thin, after all, and if the old pain in his jaw was anything to measure by then he was more than capable of ripping through.]
[ They also happen to be in the kitchen. Trying to tear the fabric could just jostle his arm around further, and Anduin scans quickly for a small knife among the utensils present.
There's still the question of how this happened. What struck him that could have wounded him this badly. But one thing at a time. Focus.
His hands are steady as he focuses on slipping the blade under the cuff of the sleeve, pinching the fabric to pull without too much pressure, and the thin fabric frays and splits quickly enough. Enough that he can gently tug it open, a bit at a time, up the inner seam and peeling it away from Wrathion's swollen arm gradually. ]
[In his continued effort to appear aloof and unaffected my his own mortality staring him in the face, Wrathion glances away from Anduin's handiwork with an expression that might almost appear bored. At least he was kind enough to split it along the seam. He could repair it later that way, if he so desired.
When he guesses that Anduin has nearly finished, he turns to glance back, making a face when he spots just how swollen his arm has become in just the span of a few hours. His skin around the area where he was punched is swollen and sitting at an angle that is not quite natural.
Ramir was going to pay for that -- one way or another.]
[ That he's been carrying on like this all this while, with an injury this severe...Anduin has to take a moment to close his eyes, take a steadying breath, then focus in earnest on the damage done. ]
Definitely broken. But it doesn't look like the skin was punctured.
[ Small favors. After a moment more of study, Anduin's gaze lifts to meet the dragon's, his expression grim. ]
I can help, but healing broken bones isn't easy. And this will hurt. You may want to sit for this.
[Wrathion's displeasure is palpable, enough that it leaks through upon his expression. Wordlessly, he picks his glass of tea up off the counter and turns to move toward the bed in compliance.
He might have been recalcitrant toward seeming weak, but there was no use in arguing with someone who new more than him in particular about physical ailments.
Besides, it already hurts.]
I'm sure it won't be that bad. Your assistance is appreciated.
[ With that, his eyes close, the words forming and reaching out, and the Light answering as it always did. Stirring around him, before being focused down through the palms of his hands.
Broken bones have to be set. There's no other way for them to heal.
It's all he can do to try to mitigate that initial pain, the glow brighter than before, brow furrowed in focus. ]
[Wrathion almost tells him not to apologize. It is written upon his face, that he doesn't want or need the pity. But -- he does not have the energy for it. And, perhaps, the pity isn't so bad. It is certainly better than anger.
...
Yeah, that definitely hurts. Wrathion does not have the fortitude not to flinch, though he manages to bury any outcry under a prolonged, pained grunt and gritted teeth. It sounds more frustrated than pained.
That was it, really -- he'd done a great job of suppressing his frustration with the city, the things it made him and those he'd called friends do. And yes, the city hadn't made Ramir do this -- but it was born out of anger with him. For the city forcing him into causing her pain.
This flirtation with the Light was not the same as the last time Anduin had healed him. That had been almost pleasant, if uncomfortable and foreign. This not only was foreign, but it burned as his bones pinched back together amidst damaged tissue.
He should have grabbed something to bite. That would have probably helped.]
[ He remember what it felt like, when the Light reforged bones that had forgotten their shape. The saving grace is that the break is relatively simple, and it's obvious even under the skin when that strange distortion smooths out again, looking much more like an arm ought to.
He could stop there. He doesn't, not when there was more he could do to ease the pain.
So Anduin presses on, pouring more of the Light into the healing limb, mending tissue back together, concentrating on mitigating the swelling as Wrathion's body had tried to mend itself so admirably. ]
[The pain is slow to subside, but it does begin to do so after the worst of the damage is done and once Anduin has moved onto reducing the swelling. It is only then that he finally starts to relax, and he recognizes a straight pain in his jaw where he had been clenching it. That too eventually melts away into the embrace of the Light.
Once all that is left is weariness and a dull buzz in the freshly healed arm, his free hand comes up to smear over his face. He's still angry -- still frustrated, even with the Light washing positive thoughts upon him. But it is lessened, much like the pain of bone regrowth.
What good was the power of the Titans if this body could still be broken so easily?]
[ Eventually there's nothing more that he can do. There will be a residual ache there for a while, but it will pass with time to recover. And he'll at least be able to have the use of the arm again, so no more ridiculous displays.
As the Light starts to fade, Anduin's fingers touch down against his skin, warm to the touch as ever. ]
...that was pretty impressive, you know.
[ Taking it like he had, with nary a cry or struggle. Hadn't flashed his claws or bared his teeth once.
And is Anduin slipping in some praise to feed the dragon's ego and take his mind off the discomfort and frustration? Perhaps. ]
[When Anduin finishes his task, he notes the light touch upon his arm. Wrathion briefly tests the results by opening and closing his palm and rotating his shoulder. Both gestures offer the same dull ache -- it would likely be some time before they felt normal again. That was to say nothing of how it might affect him as a dragon.
Not that he got to do much of that anymore.
Anduin's praise is welcome, though it does not wipe the frustrated furrow of his brow away. What it does do is pave the way for an easy:]
Thank you.
[For both the praise, and the healing. If he were younger, he might have used the opportunity presented to boast, to wipe away the more open display of failure and fiercely guard his pride. It had been a few years since he'd learned the lessons of the August Celestials, and they hadn't stuck as well as they should have -- but if nothing else, trusting Anduin was becoming easier.]
[He does not miss Anduin's usage of the word 'friends'. Nizuo and Chi-Ji had said something similar. It feels odd to be thinking of them now, after he'd just had his arm broken by someone he had once begun to consider one of his friends.]
Indeed.
[It was, indeed, what friends were for. When Anduin leaves his company, he reaches over for his empty cup, swirling the dredges of liquid left in the bottom to himself.]
I think I want to help them.
[He says it quite suddenly, as one might have confessed some dark secret, one hand moving back to his beard. So long as they're not beating around the bush here, he may as well get to the point of bringing up Rey in the first place.
Rey was not the only submissive he had met who was losing hope while living inside of this city. He'd met Nile not too long ago, who was wary of speaking in her own self-defense. And then there was even Ramir, who he had needed to cover for when the authorities arrived to places where she wasn't allowed to be.
[ The way he says it means everything. It means despite his earlier posturing, he cares about these people.
Not that Anduin doubted he could. But since he'd known him Wrathion had ever seemed to look at the grand scheme, rather than the individual lives contained within. This sudden desire to help isn't employing new agents or petitioning champions to do his dirty work for him. This is something selfless and genuine, or he wouldn't be so reluctant to admit to it.
This is perhaps the first true notable change in the dragon since they'd reunited. He finds himself smiling slowly, despite himself. ]
Of course.
[ He motions for Wrathion's cup, after a moment. ]
[He offers it, his face mostly unreadable save for that apparent permanent furrow of frustration in his brow. It starts to soften only as his mind goes to other things.]
Only the beginnings of one. A dominant cannot be the face of this -- those in charge will absolve us of our ability to support their efforts. Therefore, we must identify a submissive to rally the others behind. I believe that submissive to be Rey, but...
[His frown deepens.]
She is contracted now to a man I still know little about. I gather the nature of their partnership is...complicated.
[There is a way he uses that word that suggests he does not necessarily want to use it. After all, he did not see his "complicated" relationships in the same light that Rey appeared to be associating with this "Kylo Ren".]
And because she does not trust you, getting more information is proving difficult.
[ It's a guess, but it seems to follow in line with what Wration had mentioned before. Despite his good intentions, he wouldn't have been at all surprised if Rey had balked at any effort to pry. He suspected even from what little he did know of her that she probably would have done so on principle. ]
You know she's just as likely to distrust me. If it's the position she's opposed to, and not the person.
[ There's a pause, the quiet trickle of tea being poured into both cups, and then Anduin retakes his seat beside the other. ]
What about another Submissive? One with a similarly rebellious nature. I can already think of a few.
I can get the information without her immediate trust. That is not my concern.
[He's almost insulted by that insinuation. But he waves it off before accepting his cup back.]
I will be frank. You are much more suited to inspiration than I -- particularly when it comes to matters where the odds are stacked highly against the party in question. For every rebellious submissive, there are three more who have had the fight taken from them. That is the bleeding that we must seek to staunch, if there is any hope of such a movement taking root here.
[Matters of faith, to quote himself. He pauses to take a sip of his tea before elaborating again.]
But encouraging those rebellious sorts to befriend one another should be the ultimate goal. Preferably once they are in a better position to act upon those instincts.
A 'better position' being one where they aren't immediately rounded up en masse and punished to send a message to the rest of the city, I assume.
[ It's one thing to inspire people when you have the weight of a kingdom behind you. An army, resources, shelter, any sort of reasonable defense. He's in the same position as the rest of them here, regardless of the comforts of the cage he sits in.
It won't stop him trying to defend them. Not in the least. Even so, his faith is not blind. He understands where their limits are. Something Wrathion's surely already taken into consideration.
So he nods, thumb worrying the edge of his cup for a moment. ]
I think my position at the hospital will likely help. Both in identifying those willing to fight, and aiding those who've lost hope. I don't think we're at a shortage for either.
[He is glad to see Anduin thinking of solutions almost immediately and nods along with his ideas.]
We will want to be careful with the fighters.
[Something he is sure he does not need to explain to Anduin in great detail. Those most eager to rise to the challenge were often the first to prematurely do so. If they had any problems with authority, it could be that they would not be convinced to hold their position for an extended period of time while Wrathion planted more seeds for the uprising.]
Rey and others need to know that there are Dominants interested in disrupting the system with them in a way that does not compromise the advantage we have. And you are quite good at making friends.
[His smile stretches. Is that playful sarcasm or honesty? Impossible to tell.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Completely on brand.
There's still a slight release of tension as he finally surrenders, and Anduin sighs before stepping closer. ]
Let me see. How bad is it?
[ The way he's been cradling it against his side says it's bad, but it's hard to tell under the loose clothing. One hand hovers just over where the fabric seems more taut, a thoughtful frown appearing on his face. ]
no subject
[But in how many places and how badly -- well, that is harder to tell from the surface alone. It takes effort, but he eventually manages to pull the bracelet off with a flinch as it jostles his arm.
He was hit with enough force to knock him into the wall, and so he would not be surprised if it was worse than it seemed on the surface. He is currently attempting to figure out how to get Anduin a better look at his upper arm without doing further damage.]
no subject
[ He reaches instinctively to try to mitigate the movement of his arm as much as possible, as the bracelet is jerked loose. A difficult prospect, indeed. ]
...we can try taking the shirt off, carefully. Or, if you're not terribly attached it it, we can try splitting the sleeve open.
no subject
[The idea of trying to pretzel his way out of his shirt is weirdly humiliating and he will have no part of it -- attachment to the shirt aside.
He could rip it pretty easily, with help. His teeth were sharp enough -- there was also his sword, in the corner of the room. Anduin was likely strong enough to do it himself. The material was thin, after all, and if the old pain in his jaw was anything to measure by then he was more than capable of ripping through.]
no subject
There's still the question of how this happened. What struck him that could have wounded him this badly. But one thing at a time. Focus.
His hands are steady as he focuses on slipping the blade under the cuff of the sleeve, pinching the fabric to pull without too much pressure, and the thin fabric frays and splits quickly enough. Enough that he can gently tug it open, a bit at a time, up the inner seam and peeling it away from Wrathion's swollen arm gradually. ]
no subject
When he guesses that Anduin has nearly finished, he turns to glance back, making a face when he spots just how swollen his arm has become in just the span of a few hours. His skin around the area where he was punched is swollen and sitting at an angle that is not quite natural.
Ramir was going to pay for that -- one way or another.]
no subject
Definitely broken. But it doesn't look like the skin was punctured.
[ Small favors. After a moment more of study, Anduin's gaze lifts to meet the dragon's, his expression grim. ]
I can help, but healing broken bones isn't easy. And this will hurt. You may want to sit for this.
no subject
He might have been recalcitrant toward seeming weak, but there was no use in arguing with someone who new more than him in particular about physical ailments.
Besides, it already hurts.]
I'm sure it won't be that bad. Your assistance is appreciated.
[A forced smile quirks on his face.]
no subject
[ With that, his eyes close, the words forming and reaching out, and the Light answering as it always did. Stirring around him, before being focused down through the palms of his hands.
Broken bones have to be set. There's no other way for them to heal.
It's all he can do to try to mitigate that initial pain, the glow brighter than before, brow furrowed in focus. ]
no subject
...
Yeah, that definitely hurts. Wrathion does not have the fortitude not to flinch, though he manages to bury any outcry under a prolonged, pained grunt and gritted teeth. It sounds more frustrated than pained.
That was it, really -- he'd done a great job of suppressing his frustration with the city, the things it made him and those he'd called friends do. And yes, the city hadn't made Ramir do this -- but it was born out of anger with him. For the city forcing him into causing her pain.
This flirtation with the Light was not the same as the last time Anduin had healed him. That had been almost pleasant, if uncomfortable and foreign. This not only was foreign, but it burned as his bones pinched back together amidst damaged tissue.
He should have grabbed something to bite. That would have probably helped.]
no subject
He could stop there. He doesn't, not when there was more he could do to ease the pain.
So Anduin presses on, pouring more of the Light into the healing limb, mending tissue back together, concentrating on mitigating the swelling as Wrathion's body had tried to mend itself so admirably. ]
no subject
Once all that is left is weariness and a dull buzz in the freshly healed arm, his free hand comes up to smear over his face. He's still angry -- still frustrated, even with the Light washing positive thoughts upon him. But it is lessened, much like the pain of bone regrowth.
What good was the power of the Titans if this body could still be broken so easily?]
no subject
As the Light starts to fade, Anduin's fingers touch down against his skin, warm to the touch as ever. ]
...that was pretty impressive, you know.
[ Taking it like he had, with nary a cry or struggle. Hadn't flashed his claws or bared his teeth once.
And is Anduin slipping in some praise to feed the dragon's ego and take his mind off the discomfort and frustration? Perhaps. ]
no subject
Not that he got to do much of that anymore.
Anduin's praise is welcome, though it does not wipe the frustrated furrow of his brow away. What it does do is pave the way for an easy:]
Thank you.
[For both the praise, and the healing. If he were younger, he might have used the opportunity presented to boast, to wipe away the more open display of failure and fiercely guard his pride. It had been a few years since he'd learned the lessons of the August Celestials, and they hadn't stuck as well as they should have -- but if nothing else, trusting Anduin was becoming easier.]
no subject
That's what friends are for, right?
[ The question hangs in the air for a moment before he finally tugs his hand away, moving to stand once more. ]
The tea's probably gotten cold. I'll go get it.
no subject
Indeed.
[It was, indeed, what friends were for. When Anduin leaves his company, he reaches over for his empty cup, swirling the dredges of liquid left in the bottom to himself.]
I think I want to help them.
[He says it quite suddenly, as one might have confessed some dark secret, one hand moving back to his beard. So long as they're not beating around the bush here, he may as well get to the point of bringing up Rey in the first place.
Rey was not the only submissive he had met who was losing hope while living inside of this city. He'd met Nile not too long ago, who was wary of speaking in her own self-defense. And then there was even Ramir, who he had needed to cover for when the authorities arrived to places where she wasn't allowed to be.
It was all terribly ... unfortunate.]
I thought perhaps you might also be interested.
no subject
Not that Anduin doubted he could. But since he'd known him Wrathion had ever seemed to look at the grand scheme, rather than the individual lives contained within. This sudden desire to help isn't employing new agents or petitioning champions to do his dirty work for him. This is something selfless and genuine, or he wouldn't be so reluctant to admit to it.
This is perhaps the first true notable change in the dragon since they'd reunited. He finds himself smiling slowly, despite himself. ]
Of course.
[ He motions for Wrathion's cup, after a moment. ]
Dare I ask if there's a plan, yet?
no subject
Only the beginnings of one. A dominant cannot be the face of this -- those in charge will absolve us of our ability to support their efforts. Therefore, we must identify a submissive to rally the others behind. I believe that submissive to be Rey, but...
[His frown deepens.]
She is contracted now to a man I still know little about. I gather the nature of their partnership is...complicated.
[There is a way he uses that word that suggests he does not necessarily want to use it. After all, he did not see his "complicated" relationships in the same light that Rey appeared to be associating with this "Kylo Ren".]
no subject
[ It's a guess, but it seems to follow in line with what Wration had mentioned before. Despite his good intentions, he wouldn't have been at all surprised if Rey had balked at any effort to pry. He suspected even from what little he did know of her that she probably would have done so on principle. ]
You know she's just as likely to distrust me. If it's the position she's opposed to, and not the person.
[ There's a pause, the quiet trickle of tea being poured into both cups, and then Anduin retakes his seat beside the other. ]
What about another Submissive? One with a similarly rebellious nature. I can already think of a few.
no subject
[He's almost insulted by that insinuation. But he waves it off before accepting his cup back.]
I will be frank. You are much more suited to inspiration than I -- particularly when it comes to matters where the odds are stacked highly against the party in question. For every rebellious submissive, there are three more who have had the fight taken from them. That is the bleeding that we must seek to staunch, if there is any hope of such a movement taking root here.
[Matters of faith, to quote himself. He pauses to take a sip of his tea before elaborating again.]
But encouraging those rebellious sorts to befriend one another should be the ultimate goal. Preferably once they are in a better position to act upon those instincts.
no subject
[ It's one thing to inspire people when you have the weight of a kingdom behind you. An army, resources, shelter, any sort of reasonable defense. He's in the same position as the rest of them here, regardless of the comforts of the cage he sits in.
It won't stop him trying to defend them. Not in the least. Even so, his faith is not blind. He understands where their limits are. Something Wrathion's surely already taken into consideration.
So he nods, thumb worrying the edge of his cup for a moment. ]
I think my position at the hospital will likely help. Both in identifying those willing to fight, and aiding those who've lost hope. I don't think we're at a shortage for either.
no subject
[He is glad to see Anduin thinking of solutions almost immediately and nods along with his ideas.]
We will want to be careful with the fighters.
[Something he is sure he does not need to explain to Anduin in great detail. Those most eager to rise to the challenge were often the first to prematurely do so. If they had any problems with authority, it could be that they would not be convinced to hold their position for an extended period of time while Wrathion planted more seeds for the uprising.]
Rey and others need to know that there are Dominants interested in disrupting the system with them in a way that does not compromise the advantage we have. And you are quite good at making friends.
[His smile stretches. Is that playful sarcasm or honesty? Impossible to tell.]